A call to hold special elections in Rensselaer

The recent guilty plea of Rensselaer County Republican Elections Commissioner Jason Schofield has called into question the results of close races that took place in 2021 on the shores of the Hudson River.

The admission of guilt by Kim Ashe-mcpherson and her subsequent resignation paved the way for Steven Figueroa’s appointment to the Troy City Council. Figeroa was Ashe-mcpherson’s opponent in 2021, in the same election in which she admitted wrongdoing. Figueroa went on to win his seat by an overwhelming margin in a special election this past November — a testament to what the true results may have been in 2021.

In the city of Rensselaer, there were three races decided by very close margins: city mayor, 43; county legislator, 49; and Second Ward alderperson, 3. All of these races were ultimately decided by absentee ballots nearly one month after the polls closed. Two additional City Council races were so close they were subject to state-mandated recounts.

The city mayor’s race was the focus of wellpublicized litigation. Credible fraud was so pervasive that legal counsel asked to have a minimum of 60 absentee ballots set aside — an unprecedented amount for our small city. This alone would have swung the results by considerable margins.

It’s time for new elections in Rensselaer. The governor has the authority to remove a sitting mayor. She has the authority to remove other officials, too. She should do so and order a special election in each of the impacted races.

Todd Rutecki Rensselaer